Enlightened
by Lady Maeror
Summary: Gilan-centric, in which he wonders how Will achieved something that he couldn't. It seems this Ranger still has some growing to do. R&R. No Flames. Not Slash.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:**

I don't own RA. Disclaimer for whole story.

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**Author's Note:**

Alright, just saying before I post anything else, I have heaps of new stories to publish, some I'm still working the kinks out, but don't yell at me for making more :(

I will get onto my other stories; expect updates every week or so as per usual.

Anyway, onto this story:

I love Gilan, as a character, he's brilliant. I think he's the dark horse, probably in the future I could see him as the next Commandant, not Will. Besides that, everyone adapts Will/Halt/father/son mush (which I like,) but I've never seen a good perspective of Gilan. OR, why isn't there something about it in the series?

This is my interpretation of why. If you're confused by the end, feel free to PM me :)

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**Prologue:**

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From the moment Gilan met Will Treaty, he knew there was something special about him.

Will had the ability to become a great Ranger, but he also was a good person and the tall Ranger knew they could easily strike up a firm friendship.

In fact, from only spending a few months in his company, Gilan could consider Will a person he could trust with his life.

Whereas Horace was close to Will in age and therefore could relate to situations, Gilan had been through the same process of becoming a Ranger, and with the same mentor.

And while this linked Gilan and Will as friends in ways Horace couldn't understand, it also caused a slight rift.

Gilan was sure Will knew nothing of it; in fact it had taken him a while to realise himself.

He finally noticed it, at the beginning of Will's fourth year as a Ranger Apprentice.

From there on, it triggered an event that would change his perspective for the rest of his life.

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**A/N:**

Chapters will get bigger, but it's a split story so it's easier to read.

- Mae.


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One:**

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Will and Gilan sat opposite each other on tree stumps, sitting in companionable silence, with mugs of steaming coffee in their hands, and the warmth of the fire keeping the cold air at bay.

They were at the Ranger Gathering, which was concluding within the next day or so.

Will, as required, had to take his Third Year exams, so he could proceed to the next level.

Halt had been with the other assessors and Crowley, discussing the day's examinees and the various results.

Throughout both their apprenticeships, Gilan and Will had both learnt that they could learn the results of their exams within the day or the night; it didn't matter to the Senior Rangers.

Will, outwardly, _seemed_ calm. But Gilan knew the young man was wondering exactly if he had passed.

For all his skills and the fact that he could out mark most of the Corps, Will severely underestimated himself.

"Will." Gilan spoke softly, calling the apprentice's attention.

He looked up, suddenly alert.

"You'll be fine, don't worry about it." He told him, smiling.

Will shrugged and directed his gaze back to his slowly decreasing cup of coffee.

"I hope so," was all he said.

Both glanced up as they heard the sound of approaching footsteps.

They both knew from the familiar walk and drawn cowl of who it was. Halt never bothered to sneak up on them, that was Crowley's forte.

The older Ranger sat down beside Will, not saying a word.

His eyes drew meaningfully to the small pot that sat in the embers, and Gilan grinned slyly and poured his former mentor a cup of the delicious coffee.

"Thanks Gilan." He said, taking his time to let the smooth liquid glide down his throat.

Gilan could now see that Will was visibly agitated, eager to ask Halt if he knew his results, but at the same time, not wanting to seem so unconfident in himself.

After a long break of silence, in which Halt thoroughly enjoyed his drink, he cleared his throat and turned his gaze to his apprentice.

"Will."

The small apprentice practically leant forward in anticipation.

"You passed." Halt told him quietly.

Will, instead of cheering, stared wide-eyed at his mentor.

"Really?" He asked stupidly, causing Gilan to let out a small chuckle.

Halt's hand reached out to gently grasp Will's shoulder.

"Of course, I'm very proud of you." Halt replied in that still quiet tone, the corners of his mouth twitching into the slightest smile.

The apprentice beamed back, finally allowing his excitement to seep in.

Gilan watched them in silence, as they were caught up in a moment he was familiar with.

But this time it was different.

The tall Ranger could see the genuine warmth lighting Halt's face, the gleaming adoration Will gave him after being given such a high praise. Both were smiling, in their own ways.

It was then that Gilan realised that Halt and Will had developed something far greater than he had ever achieved.

To them, he was simply an intruder into their newfound family.

The Ranger wasn't shy to the usual emotions that everyone else experienced, he was just much better at reacting to them.

But now he felt the beginnings of jealously, an emotion he rarely felt due to his easy going nature.

Out of the few apprentices Halt had trained and graduated, Will was the one who finally took on the role of 'son.' It was something Gilan hadn't been able to do.

And for the first time, he realised that some parts of him wished he could be in his place.


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two:**

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"Will, what is Halt to you?" Gilan asked the boy unexpectantly.

Both were grooming and taking care of their horses in the comfortable shade of the forest.

Will glanced up in surprise at the question. He smiled lopsidedly and replied, "Halt is Halt."

Gilan smiled despite the seriousness of his question. In truth, it was hard to describe what Halt was and if he was asked the same question, his reply would probably have been the same too.

"Well really I meant is Halt a friend or...?" He left the question hanging as he moved on to brushing Blaze's mane.

Will paused in his work, earning a snort of disapproval from Tug.

"I guess he would be family, as well as a friend." He mused, chewing his lip thoughtfully. "But then again, I can count a lot of people as my family, whereas once I didn't have any." He laughed quietly and returned to grooming Tug.

Gilan had already gone over the fact that Will had no blood relatives, and perhaps that's why Halt had formed a deep bond between him. But then he knew Halt wasn't one moved by pity, he appreciated a person for who they were.

Glancing at his young friend, he tried to pick out the pros and cons between them.

Will was smaller and lighter on his feet. He could shoot brilliantly, and had perfect aim so long as he kept practising. But Gilan was one of the best unseen movers, and he wasn't a bad shot with the bow either. To top it off, he was strong and tall, unlike most Rangers, and he could wield a sword with deadly skill.

So what was it that made Will so much more important in Halt's eyes?

The thought occurred to him that perhaps it was because Gilan's father was alive and well.

Sir David was a great man, and a good father. He had been understanding, even if slightly reluctant, to let Gilan become a Ranger. But Gilan had spent five years with Halt, learning his skills and creating a bond almost as close as family. He didn't think David's existence would counteract a bond like Will's and Halt's from forming.

Gilan recalled that Will had been very apprehensive about becoming a Ranger's apprentice, while he had deliberately followed Halt one day in the hopes that he could impress the legendary figure.

"By the way, why did you ask me about Halt?" Will questioned lightly.

The tall Ranger looked up, breaking out of his revenue of thoughts.

"Oh, just curiosity really." He replied absently, hoping the younger man didn't press the matter.

But Will seemed content with the answer, moving over to pick an apple from a nearby barrel and letting Tug crunch on it.

Gilan followed automatically, treating Blaze to an apple as well.

Both horses sounded their approval with small huffs.

Together, the two walked back to their camp, noticing that most of the other Ranger's were packing or already gone.

Gilan liked Meric Fief, but without any trouble or missions floating around, he would be hard pressed to see Will or Halt.

As much as he was puzzled and confused about his newfound information, it didn't change the fact that he respected them as his friends and enjoyed their company.

Halt hadn't returned and was most likely with Crowley, either doing work or simply relaxing.

"I'm going to fetch some water." Gilan told Will.

The young apprentice nodded. "Alright, I'll see you later then."

With a wave, Gilan strode off towards the nearby stream that supplied fresh water.

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Will watched Gilan with a smile, feeling that the tall Ranger was acting strangely.

A voice from behind him interrupted his thoughts and he turned to see Halt walking towards him.

"Where's Gilan?" He asked.

The apprentice pointed in the direction he had left. "Gil went to get some water. Most likely for coffee." He told his mentor.

Halt frowned and glanced beside his tent, where a bucket of fresh water sat in the shade, ready to boil for cooking use or coffee.

"Tell me Will, has he said anything unusual this afternoon?" He asked quietly, after a small stretch of silence.

Will turned to blink in surprise. "Well actually, he has. He was asking me about you."

The grizzled Ranger felt a small smile tug at his lips.

"Was he now?"


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three:**

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Gilan lugged the water back to camp, wondering why he had bothered filling it so much. Only a third would be used to boil, and the rest would simply sit near his tent.

He knew thought, in a small part of his mind, that he had simply kept gathering water so he could be alone with his thoughts.

The afternoon sun was angling down in the sky, beginning its slow descent until nightfall.

When he reached the Gathering area, he found his camping area was absent of Will.

Halt however, had returned and was sitting causally on a log.

"Ah Gil, I wondered where you had gone." His former mentor called out conversationally.

The Ranger was almost caught off guard by his friendly attitude and then shrugged, feeling suddenly strange around Halt. Why couldn't he be cheery? It wasn't because of Gilan's new found discovery that meant his former mentor couldn't be content around him.

"Went to get more water." He replied and raised the bucket to emphasise his point.

"For coffee I hope." Halt said with the slightest smile touching his features.

Gilan nodded enthusiastically. "Well what else for?" He said jokingly.

Halt's expression fell back into its usual blank expression.

"Not sure, something big I would of thought, considering there's a full barrel next to our tents." He pointed out, all humour gone from his voice.

In his surprise, Gilan let the bucket fall to the ground, the rim overflowing with water before it settled. He had been so distracted by his thoughts, that he had misread the cheerful attitude.

With a familiar stern gaze and crossed arms, Halt reminded him that he still felt very much like an apprentice around his former mentor.

"Now Gilan, something has you wound tight like a bow string, what's wrong?"

The tall Ranger thought about confiding in Halt, and then realised he would be going into a conversation he wasn't truly ready for.

"Nothing, it's nothing Halt." He said quietly and moved to place his bucket next to the other.

The grizzled Ranger shrugged and watched Gilan shuffle around uselessly as he tried to find something to use as an excuse to get out of Halt's way.

"Really? Because I think it isn't simply _nothing._"

Gilan turned and gave him an expression that showed he was anything but amused with Halt's obvious intrusions.

"Gil, sit." Halt ordered, indicating the space on the log near him.

He obeyed automatically, a reaction from years spent following orders.

"Will told me you were acting strange."

The tall Ranger didn't react; he let his gaze fall to the remains of last night's fire, counting the lumps of coal while he tried to ignore Halt. It was hard, Halt was a commanding person who wasn't easy to block out.

"Gilan, I didn't think I'd ever have to tell _you_ this, but you are being irrational."

Halt leant back, observing his former apprentice with a stern gaze.

"I think you've forgotten your time spent as my apprentice. I'm sure if Will saw those five years he would be thinking along the same lines as you."

"And what exactly are those lines?" Gilan asked.

Halt ignored him, moving on.

"My point is, at some point you have to grow up. Will will eventually too. For now, he's still a boy that needs the guidance of a caring adult, if he had accepted the offer for Battleschool, Rodney would be his mentor and we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Gilan shrugged and scratched at his arm, taking in Halt's words.

"Perhaps it's been because I've had another apprentice, and that Will's been through a lot." Gilan couldn't see where Halt was going.

"But regardless, you've made me proud son, even if I haven't been able to tell you."

The handsome Ranger stared blankly at his former mentor. Halt accepted the gaze without flinching, letting his impassive mask set in once more.

Gilan was certain, that Halt had just called him son.

He had never done that before.

"And Gil, I think you need to apologise and explain to Will. He's rather confused about all this." Halt went on, still ignoring Gilan's expression.

Without any form of response, Halt coughed loudly, breaking Gilan from his haze.

"What?" he asked, shaking his head as if to clear his head.

"Now you've gone and gotten so much water, could you at least put some coffee on?" Halt asked mildly.

Glancing at him to make sure he was serious, Gilan hesitated in carrying out the request. Sighing impatiently, Halt deliberately glanced to the sky as if counting the time that was passing.

Realising Halt _did_ want coffee; Gilan sprung into action and quickly tried to set the pot going.

Halt watched approvingly, the slightest hint of a smile touching the corner's of his mouth as he watched Gilan revert back into his apprentice mode.

He knew about the simple jealousy that had risen within his former apprentice. Rangers were a tight knit group, it was only expected.

But he was sure he had set him back on the right path.

For while Gilan thought Halt had taken on one son, in truth; he had always had two.

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**A/N:**

Not sure if I did my idea justice, but this is what turned out.

Reviews are appreciated :)

- Love Mae.


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